The representatives from the charity foundation sat in the police station, frowning at the documents laid out before them. This kid—just twenty-four years old—was in the prime of his life. He’d started school a bit late, only in his third year of college now, but his academic record was impeccable. Though he was a bit of a loner, he was a regular scholarship recipient.

On paper, he seemed like an exceptional young man. But now, after a sudden, horrific series of car accident, both his legs had been crushed under debris. Modern medicine might have saved his limbs, but whether he’d ever walk again was a different story.

The medical report painted an even grimmer picture: half his face was destroyed. The word “tragic” didn’t quite cover it.

“Officer An, rest assured,” the foundation representative spoke up. “Our charity thoroughly evaluates every case, ensuring help is provided where it’s needed. Zhao Zehan fits well within our criteria. We’ll prioritize his case and conduct a detailed follow-up.”

With this promise, Officer An finally relaxed. He meticulously went over Zhao Zehan’s situation again with the charity team before leading them to the hospital room.

Several days had passed since the accident. The young man had regained consciousness after surgery, but as they entered the room, he appeared to be asleep. His legs were suspended in slings, and his face was wrapped in gauze, only his eyes exposed—closed, thankfully. The scene was suffocatingly quiet, a tragic tableau that made everyone hold their breath, afraid to disturb him.

After a silent, somber moment, they filed out of the room, a shared understanding hanging in the air. Patients like Zhao Zehan, with no family to care for them, were under the foundation’s wing. If not for their intervention, the death toll from that crash might have been more than just two.

Once the door clicked shut and the soft shuffle of footsteps faded, the young man’s eyes opened. Light brown irises, murky and dark, stared up at the sterile ceiling. They held an eerie stillness, like a ghost clawing its way out of hell. Though his body lay motionless, his gaze told of lifetimes lived and lost.

He was back.

Zhao Zehan never thought he’d return. Yet here he was—alive. And the timing couldn’t have been worse…

Over the past few days, Zhao Zehan had pieced together the situation. He hadn’t died in that chain-reaction car crash. Someone had saved him. Not only that, but Jia’an Group’s charity foundation had stepped in to handle the victims’ treatment, ensuring he received top-tier medical care.

Could it be… that this place, of all things, was his true sanctuary?

The thought made him scoff. That bastard of a Supreme God, Zhao Zehan wasn’t stupid—he knew he had been played again. The Supreme God had stripped him of his personal space, thrown him into death itself, and dumped him back on this version of Earth. Whether he’d ever walk again was a question mark. His face? Utterly ruined.

But was this truly his world? Or just another cage, crafted by the Supreme God to trap him?

Heh. If this world had nothing left for him, perhaps it was better off destroyed.

—

Meanwhile, across town, Gu Yingying remained oblivious to the events unfolding at the hospital. She was locked in her own battle—against a particularly stubborn math problem. She had spent over ten minutes staring at it, and still, the answer eluded her.

She stole a glance at her brother, watching him work with deep concentration. Just from the way he carried himself, she knew he had to be brilliant. After all, he had built an entire company from the ground up!

Argh! She had reincarnated twice, so why was she still this dumb?!

Maybe… she should go home and refine some pills to boost her intelligence?

As she wrestled with the absurdity of her own thoughts, Qin Yusen finally noticed her staring. Not that she had made any effort to be subtle. He looked up and, in a calm, caring tone, asked.

“What’s wrong? Are you hungry? I can have someone bring food up.”

Even though Qin Yusen was focused on his work, part of his attention remained on Gu Yingying. His thoughts drifted to her household registration—right now, she was listed under a separate account. He was already planning to see if she’d agree to merging their registrations under one family record.

“I’m not hungry, not at all!” Gu Yingying shook her head quickly. But seeing how much her brother cared about her, she couldn’t help but grumble a little.

“It’s just… you’re so smart, running such a big company. You must be amazing. But I can’t even solve a simple math problem. I feel so dumb~”

Gu Yingying had never considered herself particularly intelligent. That’s why she always worked hard—repeating tasks, learning things over and over again. She truly admired people who were naturally gifted.

“You’re stuck on a problem? Let me take a look.” Qin Yusen stood up without hesitation. As much as he enjoyed being praised, seeing his sister frown instantly made him put his work aside. Nothing mattered more than helping her.

He quickly walked over and explained the problem to her. As someone who worked in tech, he had an excellent grasp of math. In fact, he was strong in English and physics too—and had even self-taught several languages. This kind of question was barely a warm-up for him.

“Wow! You’re amazing, gege! I completely understand now! You explained it even better than my teacher!”

Gu Yingying’s eyes lit up with excitement. The realization hit her like a spark, and she flailed her arms in pure joy. Her pretty little face beamed like a blossoming flower, her happiness so infectious that Qin Yusen couldn’t resist reaching out to pat her head.

Then, he froze.

Physical affection wasn’t something he was used to. The touch felt foreign, unfamiliar—even to himself.

“Don’t call yourself dumb,” he said gently. “You’re very smart. You just need the right learning method. If you ever run into trouble, I’ll teach you.”

Qin Yusen had never thought explaining something to someone could feel so fulfilling. He had no idea how soft his expression had become—until his personal secretary walked in and nearly dropped their documents in shock.

To know that their CEO was the true “King of Cold Faces,” someone who never smiled—well, it seemed the young lady he had brought back was truly special, perhaps even favored.

The siblings spent their time together, one working and the other doing homework. At 7:30 PM, the secretary brought dinner, and the two ate at the company. Upon learning that his sister was struggling with her English studies, Qin Yusen immediately arranged for the most proficient English speaker in the secretarial department to tutor her. Meanwhile, he proceeded to attend meetings with the company staff.

It wasn’t until 9:30 PM that the two finally headed home. Throughout the car ride, Gu Yingying chattered nonstop. Qin Yusen, who had always disliked unnecessary noise, found his gaze softening as he listened to her stories about school.

“Bastet!!! I’m home!!!”

As soon as she stepped through the door, Gu Yingying spotted Bastet lying on the sofa. She dropped her backpack and rushed over, scooping the cat into her arms. Bastet struggled briefly but eventually gave in, allowing her to hold him. After confirming with the butler that Bastet had been fed, Gu Yingying bid her brother goodnight and carried the cat upstairs to rest.

After showering and changing into her pajamas, Gu Yingying lay on her bed and placed the magic mirror in front of her. With a playful smile, she asked, “Mirror, mirror on the wall~ who is the fairest of them all?”

The mirror reflected Gu Yingying’s pure and beautiful face, causing her to burst into laughter. She recalled her time in the Anlan Continent, when she first discovered that her soul artifact was a magic mirror. Back then, she had loved asking this question every day, much like the wicked queen from Snow White.

Just as Gu Yingying was laughing uncontrollably, a beam of white light shot out from the mirror. When the light faded, a small black stone floated in the air before her, startling her momentarily.

But since it was something the magic mirror had sent, Gu Yingying wasn’t afraid. She reached out her hand, and the black stone gently landed in her palm.

Cool and smooth to the touch, yet surprisingly light—on the surface, it felt just like any ordinary stone.

As soon as she picked it up, the reflection in the Magic Mirror shifted. Her own face disappeared, replaced by glowing text.

Gu Yingying leaned in for a closer look.

[Dark Space: Capable of storing all things. Currently sealed.]

Anything the Magic Mirror actively presented had to be valuable. She studied the black stone in her hand. Though she had no clue how to use it, she at least understood that “sealed” meant it wasn’t functional—yet.

What she didn’t see, however, was the flicker of eerie red light in Bastet’s eyes. Nor did she notice the invisible crimson threads slowly creeping from Bastet’s body—slithering silently toward the black stone, sinking into its core.

“Whose thing is this? And where did you intercept it, Magic Mirror?”

This was one of the mirror’s many abilities. Not only could it predict fortunes and misfortunes, but it also had the power to identify treasures. Sometimes, the mirror would even “steal” items, and even Gu Yingying, its owner, had no idea how many treasures the mirror had accumulated over time.

The mirror, of course, remained silent. But then, an image began to form within its surface. It showed a man wrapped in white bandages, lying in a hospital bed. His eyes were closed, but the moment the mirror projected the image, his eyes snapped open as if sensing something.

“Who’s there?” Zhao Zehan’s sharp, beast-like eyes scanned the empty space before him. In the past, he would never have believed in the existence of other worlds. But after traveling through countless realms with the Supreme God, he had come to understand that every world had its own consciousness, and there were always extraordinary individuals out there.

Gu Yingying was equally stunned. She could hear the man’s voice, and when she saw his eyes, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. It wasn’t until a moment later that she realized—his light brown eyes were almost identical to hers. Aside from the shape, their pupils were exactly the same!

“Brother? Are you my brother?”

In the quiet of the hospital night, Zhao Zehan heard a soft, delicate voice—a young girl’s voice—echoing in his ears. He was momentarily taken aback, but his eyes remained sharp and vigilant.

“Who are you? Why are you spying on me?”

=^_^=